AUSTRALIA ~ The Antipodes

I love a sunburnt country / A land of sweeping plains / Of ragged mountain ranges / Of droughts and flooding rains / I love her far horizons / I love her jewel-sea / Her beauty and her terror / The wide brown land for me / ~ Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968)

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Pic by Gemma Wiseman ~ A beetle like character that appeared on my verandah, in the Dromana Hills, Mornington Peninsula.This is the most colourful, unusual creepie crawlie I have ever seen.Is it a Japanese beetle? If anyone knows, please tell me in the comments!N.B. I posted other photos of this character earlier in December here!~Nature Footstep Macro #16~

I got me a real bargain!You know, these gloves are famous!In the 1960's, they were in the Triumph motorbike advertisements.Ann-Margret, the beautiful Swedish/American actress, starred in The Swinger and rode a Triumph motorbike in the film.Then Triumph wanted her as the face of Triumph.And she wore those gloves in photoshoots!(Aside from acting, Ann-Margret so loved motorbikes.)But do you know the real story behind the photos?I know from a reliable source that those hands in close up photos do not belong to Ann-Margret!Ann-Margret's hands didn't photograph well.So they used the gloved hands of another famous actress.I'll give you a clue.She LOVED wearing gloves and is most famous for her hot pink ones!Give up?Those ads actually co-featured the gloved hands of Marilyn Monroe!If that auctioneer had only known the real story, I wouldn't have got them for the crazy price of $500!They would have been at least worth double!A great investment!So did I waste my money or not, eh?~Hosted by Willow

Pic by Gemma Wiseman ~ On Christmas Day, we had lunch at Portsea Hotel, Mornington Peninsula.Outside were beautiful views of Port Phillip Bay.Children loved playing games on the rolling lawns.Here, 2 young girls are playing/chatting in a tree.~Simplicity Photo Challenge ~ Kids~

Pic by Gemma Wiseman ~ These delightful ice sculptures of dolphins were on the Christmas Day buffet table at Portsea Hotel, Mornington Peninsula.Seafood is becoming a larger feature on the Australian Christmas Day menu.~Monday Poetry Potluck #16 ~ Celebrations and Festivities~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Here are 4 cameo glimpses of the essence of celebration and festivity, without the baubles and the glitter.2 everyday sporting experiences frame what was and what may be.The 4 poems (separated by the icon bells) may work as a holistic, seasonal cycle, or perhaps just one rings with your music.If you like to dig a little, there are levels in these poems.But if you don't have the time or the energy, the poems have surface colours you may like.Here are poems for everyone and anyone.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FishingSometimes the endless untangling of linesSometimes the small onesTossed back tillAnother daySometimes the yarn ofThe one that got awaySometimes(And only sometimes)The mighty catchThe trophy to take home

When it's the festive season forChanging of the guardYesterday becomesTime on iceRough and smoothe texturesPreserved

OftenIt's then we seeThe glistening beauty of trinketsThe small moments

When it's the festive season forChanging of the guardTomorrow becomesTime in the wingsLike a recipe waitingWaiting for ingredients to gatherTo mixTo bakeTo chillTo bePresented

CricketSometimes the batterSometimes the bowlerSometimes the yarn ofThe one that got awaySometimes(And only sometimes)From way out in left fieldThe catcher scoresThe mighty catchThe trophy to take home

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Pic by Gemma Wiseman ~ I love the Desiderata.This is my version hanging in my hallway.The light in the left top corner is from my mini chandelier.The following 2011 Manifesto was inspired by the Desiderata.~Sunday Scribblings #257 ~ Manifesto+Carry on Tuesday #85 ~ With the New Year fast approaching, our prompt this week is the opening line from Helen Hunt-Jackson’s poem New Year’s Morning:Only a night from old to new!+One Single Impression #148 ~ Comb+Haiku Heights #23 ~ Charity~

Only a night from old to new!Let this be our manifesto!~

Comb out the tangled hours of daysGentlyMethodicallyLovingly

Cream the aged lines of tensions intoNew innocence

Let the auras of nutritional powdersHighlight the cheeksAnd the tones of natural mascaraLiven the shapes of eyes

Moisten the lips ofDry conversation

Spring clean the mindDo goodFeel goodWelcome the opportunity for charity

************************** HAIKUCharity means loveBask in the glow of givingUnconditional**************************

See new sailsHear a new drummerTaste new soul foods

Bless the mirror that looks beyond the face

And bless the feet thatBreathe the freedom ofNew moccasins~

Only a night from old to new!And that is the difference!Let this beOur manifesto~

Pic by Gemma Wiseman ~ Yesterday, my hubby and my son enjoyed Christmas lunch at the Portsea Hotel, Mornington Peninsula.This is the view across Port Phillip Bay from the lawns of the hotel.It was a little grey but warm enough to wander the grounds and enjoy the views.~SOOC Sunday #111~

Lady Gemma

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About Me ~ Blogging since 4.07.07

Over 50! And Motoring!

T.S.Eliot's poetry has never failed to intoxicate me! In fact, his sunlight on a broken column, his midnights and lamp posts, his female rhythms mouthing Michelangelo pleasantries are all bound up in the "overwhelming question" of our real biorhythms and souls! ~
We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.
~~~~Ray Bradbury
~~~~Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.~~~Anton Chekhov ~~~
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.
~Angela Monet

AUSTRALIAN BLOGGER

Footfalls echo in the memory,
Down the passage which we did not take,
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden.- T.S.Eliot ..............................
My page was too white/My ink was too thin/The day wouldn’t write/What the night pencilled in
-'The Book of Longing'
Leonard Cohen.....................
Creative discord of fractured harmonies! Between the Question and the Answer is
A Hush...
A Whisper...
A Dreaming... The grit of raw desert lands whirls on the winds in erotic rhythms - sometimes.
- Greyscale

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IN MEMORY OF SPADOMAN Monday 2.12.13 Miss his smiling view of the world in all its jagged pieces

I'm a Renaisance Man. I've been a lot of places and done a lot of things. I tell stories, sometimes, when I'm in the mood or especially when someone asks me. I don't want to believe I have an ego problem, but I admit I have an ego. All I really desire is when you hear that I have passed, I hope you can say, "Too bad, he was a nice guy."

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~ The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.~ Tagore